The Shadow
From the time German immigrants brought the Christmas tree decorating tradition to America in 1825 till the present, decorating Christmas trees has a rich history.
According to the White House Historical Association, Franklin Pierce (D) became the first U.S. President to have a Christmas tree in the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. President Pierce served from 1853-1857.
Macy’s is credited with having the first department store window Christmas decorations at 14th St. in New York City in 1874.
Edward Johnson, friend and business associate of Thomas Edison, is credited for being the first to add electric lights to decorate a Christmas tree in the U.S. He strung electric bulbs around his Christmas tree in 1882.
President Calvin Coolidge became the first to officially have a national Christmas tree, and he had the 28’ Balsam Fir from Vermont decorated with 2,500 red, white, and green electric bulbs in 1923.
From early times when the Christmas tree was decorated with gingerbread, candles and treats to the modern era when electric lights became the dominate decorative feature thanks to Johnson, who came to be known as the “Father of Electric Christmas Tree Lights,” Christmas tree lighting ceremonies have become an annual tradition, drawing thousands of spectators to view the events at town and city halls.
Pop culture has contributed to the commercialization of Christmas, and in the 1960s, aluminum Christmas trees began to take place of pine and fir by the fireplace.
The lighting of the National Christmas Tree on the south lawn of the White House has become a major holiday event, and in 1979, President Jimmy Carter lit only the star at the top on the Christmas Tree in honor of the Americans being held hostage in Iran.
In 1980, the same practice was adopted by the White House, but the entire tree was lit for 417 seconds before only the star atop the National Christmas Tree was left to shine for the hostages.
The idea was that the hostages had been held for 417 days, and the lit tree symbolized one second per day that the hostages had been held in captivity.
At the turn of the 21st Century, about 15,000 growers were operating “choose and cut” tree farms for Christmas tree decorating.
Today, the total Christmas tree sales in the U.S. accounts for more than $4 billion in sales each year, not counting the amount of money spent for decorations that Americans use to decorate the trees.
